Keyboard for composing-machines.



0. E. BENHAM.

KEYBOARD FOR GOMPOSING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914 specification tr inst-tars Application filed August misfit.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Tc aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that. I, GHAnLns l3. Banners, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady,-State of New York, have invented certainncw and useful Improvements in Keyboards for Composing-Machines, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The present invention relates to keyboards ofi so-called composing machines and in particular to key boards ofmachines of the Lanston monotype system although it is not necessarily limited thereto. ever, describe my invention with reference to such machines because it is particularly applicable thereto.

The key board of the Lanston machine is provided with a large number of keys representing various characters which are first depressed and then quickly released by the operator in order to cause the punches corresponding to the characters to perforate the paper, which paper is subsequently used in the casting machine. Among these are the so-called quad, leader and dash keys which for some classes of Work, particularly for tabular composition have to be operated a great many times in succession. In some of this composition only a single word occurs in the line, the remainder being filled out with quads, leaders or dashes, as desired. in any event, the same key, be it the quad, leader or dash, must alternately be depressed and released by the operator until the complete line for the page to be printed is filled. This not only requires considerable time and effort on the part of the operator but is can ceedingly monotonous. At the present time the fastest method in practice for quad ding out as it is called, is for the operator to depress and release a key with one hand on one key board and to repeat the operation with the other hand on the other key board. said operations alway taking place successively.

My invention has for its object to improve the construction of key boards for the Lanston and similar machines by the introduction Without substantial change or rebuilding of What may be designated as a repeating key which, When moved by the operator to a given position and retained, as distinguished from a movement first in one direction and then in another, will cause some part of the normal operating mechanism to repeat its action indefinitely until said key is I shall, hoW- relcascd or restored to place, and in addirlbbon to advance step tion cause the paper hy-step and the ncrmal cooperating parts to imovc between manner. Tostate the matter briefly and in another Way, my aim is to providelan attachment which can he applied to existing standard key boards whereby a repetition of 5 certain actions necessa y to the common and Well. known use of the apparatus for record release of a credeterruned key. A :lurth thc ted of operation of the machine due to the repeating key to a point consid- ,erahiy in excess of that possible when the cpcratrnr must first depress and then release the key, as in the present construction.

, Qther :teatur s of my invention will" he refer? d to hereinafter and also set forth in fthe ciaims. in the illustrative of my mvention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of Lanston key board titted with my repeating key; Fig. 2 .is adctail view eat the valve that controls the motor oi. the paper feed, and Fig. 3 is a view cl a slight modificationshowmg two repeating keys.

j l have purposely omitted many of the parts of the machine becausethey seem unnecessary to an understandinp, of my inveny tron.

4- indicatcs one of the n my normal u erating keys and may re letter or character, for present case a quad, key iike the others is deg then eleased for each the aches which per "rate the paper, said pa 1: being later used in a casting machine to form type. The key includes a bcll crank lever 5, the lower end or which engages a projection on the top of key bar 6. On the undm' side of the bar are two projections that are adapted to engage and mo ve forward the rods or members 7 and 8 that are secured to rock-shafts 9 and 10 respectively. The rods extend parallel to each other from side to side of the key board and may be acted upon by more than one key bar. In addition to the rods 7 and 8 are shortrods l1 and 12 also carried by the rock shafts. Situated below the short rods 11 and 12 are vaive rods 133 and M- that actuate-the valves 15 and 16 contained the compressed'air operations in the usual jma'king can be effected by the depression and ob iect the invention is to in-- accompanying drawing "which is chest 17. Motion from the rods 11 and 12 to the valve rods is transmitted through projections 18 on the latter.

The valve chest is connected by pipes 19 to cylinders containing pistons 20 which force the piston levers 21 upward about their fulcrum 22 whenever, the valves are opened by depressing the key 4. The two motors and punch bars shown are typical illustrations of these/devices of which a large number is provided for each ma chine. To each piston lever is attached a bar 23 that carries a punch 24 at its upper end for making holes in the paper ribbon 25. The upper ends of the punches are directed by the guide 26. and separated therefrom by a space for the paper is a perforated die plate 27 into which the punches extend wheh elevated. The/rpaper is carried by a reel 28 and has perforations 29 on its sides to receive pins on the feed rolls 30, on one end of which is a ratchet wheel 36. The marginal perforations 29 are made in the ribbon before it is inserted in the machine, and the pins '"on the rolls entering the perforations, act

to properly feed saidribbon step-by-step and also hold it against sidewise move- .ment. Mounted on an arm 37 that is loosely supported on the shaft is a pawl 38 which is moved between punching operations by an amount substantially equal to the pitch of the teeth on the ratchet to feed the paper. 39 indicates a pivoted dog to hold the ratchet while the pawl is retracted.

As before stated the pistons 20 elevate the punch bars and punches. Acting in opposition thereto is a piston 40 which opposition is, however, overcome by the force of the two pistons 20 working against it. The

piston 40 which is under constant air pressure is connected to what is generally called a tension arm 41, the latter being rigidly mounted on and oscillating with the root shaft 42. Connected to the tensionarm member by a link is a lever 43 that assists in the operation of the so-called unit-rack slide.

44 indicates a lever that is connected to the stop mechanism, the latter cooperating with a' stop for the unit-rack slide,

The means for feeding the paperlroll between punch operations will now be described. To the pawl carrying arm 37 is attached a rod 45 whose lower end is connected to the vibrating lever 46. This lever is actuated by two pistons 47 and 48 subject to the control of a valve 49 as best shown in Fig. 2. Normally the left hand end of the lever 46 is raised, that is to say, when the machine is at rest. On the end of the shaft 42 is an arm 50 having a cam slot 51 in which is located a roller 52, said roller being mounted on and moving the lever 53.

' The lever is fulcrumed midway its ends and Above the guide roses ea at the'lower end is attached to the slide valve 49, the latter having two positions. Air under pressure is'admitted to the valve casing by the pipe 54, and its ports 55 and 56 are connected respectively to the cylinders of pistons 47 and 48. The face of the valve has a recess 57 arranged to connect one port or the other with the exhaustopening 58.

Thus far I have described parts which are old and in common use, and before describing my invention as applied thereto, it is desirable to fully understand their action in order that the significance of the added parts will be fully appreciated. The key 4 is depressed by the operator which causes the punches to rise due to the action of the pistons 20 under the control of valves 15 and 16. This action turns the shaft 42 clockwise by a limited amount, and the arm 50 thereon acting through the cam slot 51, roller 52 and lever 53 moves the valve 49 from right to left. The result of this is to exhaust the air from under the piston 47 v and admit air pressure under the piston 48. The left hand end of the lever 46 and pawl actuating rod 45, which were in their raised position are now depressed and the awl 38 is in position to advance the paper fl: on the next upward stroke of the rod45. The operator then releases the key 4 thereby permitting air to escape from under the pistons 20. This perinits the piston 40 to force the left hand end of the tension arm 41 down to the position shown and at the same time move the arm 50 with its cam slot, the latter returning the valve 49 to the position shown. This last action causes the piston 47 to push the rod 45 upward and. by moving the pawl, advance the ratchet wheel and feed roll one step. This is the action which normally takes place each time the ordinary key is depressed and released whether it represent a letter, a figure, a quad, a leader, dash or other character.

In some cases, as for example with the quad key, it is common practice to omit the punch from one or more of the bars 23, be cause certain characteristics of the casting machine,vand in particular as regards the means for moving the matrix case, render 1t unnecessary to perforate the paper for this character. Each bar and lever 21, however, move up and down for each operation of its associated key and the ribbon is advanced step-by-step between operations as in other cases, and hence the operation, except for the punch perforating the ribbon, is identical in all cases.

Coming down to a description of my invention as applied to a particular machine, a repeating key 60 is mounted on one of the key boards. In many boards a space will be found therefor in the lower right hand corner of the right bank. The key which ed roll 4 pushes the rod 61 valve bars 13 and .9, and 10 by an amount suilicient to place the pistons 20 shifts the valve 49 from right to I the result that the feed rod 45 is moved down same action relieves the tension resembles the others in general appecrencc acts on a push rod 61, said key and rod ing removable with the key bank. lfhe upper end of the push rod enters a hole in the small lever 62, said lever being pirotally supported on the frame above the key but To the other end of the lever is attached a sleek wire cord or fine chain 63, Whicl'i is connected at its upper end with sleek Wire cord or chain 64, the latter leys 64" supported by the frame of the inachine. One said of the cord or chain 64- connected to the right hand end the ver 46 and its other end is divided into parts 65 and 66 which are connected to the rock shafts 9 and 10 in some suitable as by the rods 7 and 8, so that when tr slightly to the right they will operate 1 1- end the valves 15 1'6 controlling the punches. it is import. he that the connection, whatever it may b shall normally be slack so that rockel 9 and 10 can be moved forward by the no mal keys, represented by 4 and retro-r without interference therefrom. 'lo state the matter in another way, the connection between the lever 46 and the rock shafts contains lost motion. The cord 6% is con nected to the two rock shafts because in this machine two punch bars 23 commonly wort: together in order to make the proper kind of paper ribbon for the casting machine. In the case of a machine requiring only one punch bar to be operated at a time the cord 64 would only have to be connected to one valve bur actuator such as 9 or 10.

The operation of my repeating key 60 is as follows? It is depressed by the operator to'the end of its downward stroke which may be determined by a stop of any charactor and located at any suitable point. The adjustable screw 67 is such a stop. This upward and places the cord 63 under suflicient tension to first take up the slack in the cord 64 and its branches 65 dnd 66 and then to move the rock shafts open As soon as this takes force the punch upward and move the left hand end of the tension arm ll upward and with it the arm 50 containing the cam slot 51. This latter left with valves 15 and 16.

and the right hand end of lever 46 up. This on the cord 64 and its branches due to the upward movement of the right hand end of the lever 46. llhis permits the rock-shafts to be moved backward; the compressed air in the chest 17 acting on the valves 15, 16 and valve hers 13 has sufl'icientpowei' to do this. At this instant the piston t0 and tension arm il come into play and depress the punch rods. This in turn rocks the shaft 42 end arm 50 passing on pul ticlccltwise with the result that the arm in l 1 mid 2. This position of the valve eshsn the air trom under piston 48 and l air pressure under the piston 47.

.lnnnc etch; the left hand end 0 the lever upwerd causing the rod to ac- Lper advsncin ratchet 37 and "l d rollers 30. his action the right hand end of the lever ich first takes up the slack in the cord its branches 65 and 66 and then pulls th rods '1! and 8 on the rock shut; by an nt sufficient to again actuate the valve Lu and the valves 15 and 16. This acgoes on indefinitely so lon 5 .8 the re up key is held down by the operator. 1c the fact that one or more of the not in response to a movement of the n5; key, the feeding mechanism will l the ribbon between each two simincvements, and hence it makes no differ once if e punch has been omitted from a punch bar, providing, of course, as heretootthe casting machine,'a punch is unvalves 15 and 1 to close and also exhaust the air from under the pistons. On the other hand, strained too little, the downward movement of the right hand end of the lever t6 will not actuate the rock shafts. By eX- periment the assembler can readily determine the exact relation of parts, elther by changing the lengths of the cords or providing at stop to limit the movement of the key 60 or small lever 62, or both methods oi adjustment may be employed.

The operation of the punches and feeding of the paper is much faster than Where the even thoughthe operator strikes a key first. with one hand and another key in the other bank with the other hand. The rapidity of operation is comparable with the movements of the piston of a pneumatic hammer. In order to test the speed of operation of a. machine fitted with my repeating key, I had a skilled operator strike and release an ordinary key j net as fast as possible for a period of 10 seconds. I then had the same operator hold the repeating key down for the same length of time. As a result, it was found that the punches operated 66 times in the first test and 128 times in the second test, thus showing a large gain in favor of the repeating key. The increased speed of operation is due chiefly to two things: First,

normal keys 4 are depressed and released tore explained in connection with the matrix the operator has only one down and up mo tion to make instead of many; and second, the work of actuating the valves 15 and 16 is accomplished by a quick acting motor, in this case the pistons 47 and as. T he speed of the machine is determined by the rapidity of action of these pistons and hence by utilizing them to actuate the valves 15 and 16 when the repeating key is moved to a predetermined position, the punching and ribbon feeding operations will take place with a rapidity that is limited only by the capacity of said pistons to properly perform their functions. I have also found that the ordinary operator is able to perform a materially greater amount of work in a given time with my improved key than without it where repetition of characters largely occurs.

An analogy in the electric art to the operation of my improved mechanism can be found in an electric bell. Ilere when the circuit is closed by a push button the magnet coils are energized and attract the armature against a spring. Shortly after the armature starts, it breaks the circuit of the coils but the armature continues its movements for a short distance due to inertia. Subsequently the spring returns the ar1na ture to a position where the circuit of the coils is again closed and the action is repeated.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a slight modification of my invention where two repeating keys are provided. One of these may be for the eighteen unit quad and the other for a "leader, dash or other character which occurs frequently and in succession in the pages of matter to be set up and printed. This is of particular advantage in tabular composition where the major part of the line is blank or is filled in with dots or dashes. In this figure the repeating key 60 operates as before. The second repeating key is connected to a lever 71 and the other end of the lever is connected by the slack cord 72 to the slack connector 73, the latter passing over pulleys as before. The lower end of the cord has slack branches 74-, 75 that are connected to rock shafts 7G and 77 that are independent of the rock shafts 9 and 10. Either key canbc used at will but not both at the same time.

My invention is not necessarily limited to the use of flexible cords and lever 46, al though I have found this arrangement to be exceedingly satisfactory in practice. The main thing is to utilize some part of the usualoperating mechanism which moves be tween pach two punching ()l'lQIfltlOllS as for example a part of the ribbon feeding mechanism to do the actual work of opening the valves or moving the equivalent parts to repeat the punching opcration, the repeating key and cooperating parts serving as a means to start the automatic operation.

with very little effort and at a small expense.

Another important feature is that each and all of the usual keys can be operated in the ordinary manner without regard to the repeating key. The operator can still quad out by the usual key if the space to be filled is small or if large the repeating key can be used. In the use of the repeating key,

the operator will, of course, utilize the various devices now on the machines to indicate how much of the line to be printed is to be filled out by quads or other type. V

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States; is,'--

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for making records on a ribbon between its marginal perforations, motors for actuating the means, mechanism for returning said means and feeding the ribbon between record making operations, and a repeating key which, when movcd'to a predetermined position, causes the mechanism to start a motor and control its operation.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of punches for perforatinga ribbon between its marginal perforations, motors for causing the punches to act, a valve for controlling each motor, mechanism for withdrawing the punches and feeding the ribbon between punching operations, and a repeating key which, when moved to a p'gedetermined position, causes themechanism to move a valve to a position to start a motor and thereafter control its operation.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of punches for perforating a ribbon between its marginal per- The parts are merely in addition forations, motors for actuating them, means acting in opposition to the motors for returning the punches to their normal positions, mechanism which is moved in one direction by the motors and in the opposite direction by said means, controllers for the motors, means which are normally inactive for transmitting motion from the mechanism to certain of the controllers, and a repeating key for rendering the last named means active.

4. In an apparatus of the character deiii actuated means into operation and th :coeeyraa a controlling valve for the motor, mechanism for returning the bars and advancing the ribbon between bar operations which in cludes a vibrating member, means normally inactive for transmitting movements of the member to the valve,.and a, key for rendering the last named means active when it is desired to repeat the action of the bar.

5. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of motor actuated means for making records on ribbon be tween its marginal perforations, mechanism acting automatically between record male ing operations to return the means to normal position and also to feed the ribbon :t'orward one step, and a key means which, when moved to a given position, starts a motor after causes said mechanism to keep it in operation. v

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of fluid motor actuated means for perforating a ribb its marginal perforations, mechai u. automaticallyto return the means an i also to feed the ribbon forward one o, a valve controlling a motor, and ltey'mcans which, when moved to a given position, opens the valve and causes the motor to act, and means actuated by the mechanism which permits thevalve to close during one portion of its complete movement and opens it during the remaining portion of its movement.

7. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a punch for perforating a ribbon, punch actuating means, mechanism for feeding the ribbon between punching operations, andmeans for causing the ribbon feeding mechanism to control the operation of the punch actuating means.

8. In an apparatus oi the character described,-the combination of a punch for perforating a ribbom means for operating the punch, a key that normally controls the means, means for withdrawing the punch, a feeding device for the ribbon, a motor for actuating the device, and means whereby the movement of the motor is caused to automatically start the punch operating means into action and release it.

9. lln an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a punch bar, means for actuating it, means for retracting it, a rib bon feeding device, a motor for actuating it, a valve. for the motor which is controlled by the punch retracting means, a connection between the movable part of the motor and the means for actuating the punch, which 10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a punch for perforating a ribbon, unch actuating means, mechanism for fee ing the ribbon between punching operations, connection between said means and mechanism that is normally inactive, and a repeating keywhich when moved to a predetermined position puts said connection into action,

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a punch for perforating a ribbon,-a motor for actuating the 1 punch, a controller for the motor, a key for moving the controller, means for retracting the punch, mechanism for feeding the ribbon bet-ween punching operation, which includes a motor,'a controller for the motor which is actuated by the punch retracting means, a connector between a movable member of the last mentioned motor and-the controller of the first motor which is normally inactive, and a-key which when moved'to a predetermined position puts the'connector into action and cooperates with: it to cause said removable member to alternately actuate and release the controller of the first mentioned motor. I v v 12. lnan apparatusof the character de scribed, the combination of a punch bar, a fluid motor for actuating the bar. a means for retracting it, a valve for controlling the motor, an actuator for the valve, a ribbon feeding mechanism, a fluid motor for actual? ing it, a means which is normally inactive and is connected to the valve actuator and to a movable part of the said motor, and a. key which when moved to a predetermined position acts onv said last named means in a manner to cause movement of the member to alternately actuate and release the valve actuator. e

13. An apparatus of the character described, comprising punch bars, motors for actuating them, valves for the motors, actuators for the valves, means for retracting the bunch bars, a ribbon feed device, a motor for actuating it, and a valve for the motor actuated by the retracting means, in combination with a slack flexible connector which is connected to the valve actuators and to a movable member of the ribbon feed motor, and a key which when moved to a predetermined position first takes up the slack in the connector and then moves the valve actu-- store, said member alternately placing the connector under tension and releasing it.

14. In an apparatus ofthe character de scribed, the combination of means for punching a ribbon, means controlling the operation of the punching means, feeding mochawhich when moved to a predetermined po- 1:0

punch bar'actuating means, mechanism for feeding the ribbon between bar operations that includes a motor and a lever vibrated thereby, a repeating key, a slack connector which is secured at one end to the vibrating lever and at the other end to the" bar actu 'ating means, and a means actuated by the key for putting the connector under sufficient tension to cause the lever to alternately actuate and release the bar actuating means as it vibrates.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a punch bar actuating means therefor, mechanism for feeding the ribbon between baroperations that includes a fluid motor and a lever vibrated thereby, a repeating key means, a slack connector which is secured at one end to ,an arm of th" lever and at the other end to the punch actuating means, means for supporting the connector at two points, and a second connector that is united at one end with the first at a point between said supporting means and at the other end is connected to the repeating key means.

17. In an apparatus of the character de-.

scribed, the combination of a punch bar, punch bar actuating means, mechanism for feeding the ribbon between bar operations, and independent repeating key means which when moved individually to predetermined positions will cause the ribbon feeding mechanism to control the operation of the punch bar actuating means.

18. In an apparatus of the character. described, the combination of punches for perforating a ribbon, punch actuating means, mechanismtor feedin the ribbon between punching operations t at includes a motor and a ever vibratedmhereby, repeating keys, slack connectors therefor which are secured at one end to the vibrating lever and at the other ends to the punch actuating means, and means associated with each repeating key for putting its connector under suiiicient tension to cause the lever to alternately actuate and release a punch actuating means as it vibrates.

19. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of punch bars, individually acting motors for reciprocating the bars, mechanism for returning the movable parts of the motors and bars and feeding a ribbon forward step-by-step between each two similar movements of a bar or bars, and a repeating key which, when moved to and retained in a predetermined position, causes said mechanism to start a motor and cause successive operations thereof and its corresponding bar between movements of the-rib-.

bon feeding mechanism.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of August 1913.

. CHARLES E. BENHAM.

Witnesses LUTHER J GALKINS, Roscoe E. BURNHAM. 

